COA chief loses van to carjackers

MANILA, Philippines -  A lone suspect carjacked yesterday the white Toyota Fortuner of Commission on Audit (COA) Chairman Reynaldo Villar in front of a restaurant in Parañaque City.

Villar said he had just come out from Conti’s restaurant located on Aguirre Avenue in BF Homes Subdivision at around 10:20 a.m. when a man wearing a jacket and cap suddenly entered the front passenger side of the Fortuner with license plate ZRV-924 and poked a gun at him and ordered him to drive.

“It was a traumatic experience for me but thank God he did not make good his threat to shoot me,” Villar told The STAR.

Villar said the suspect, in his mid-40s, asked him to drive and not to look at him.

“He knew me somehow because he called me ‘chairman.’ He said he had me under surveillance for two weeks and that he was just ordered to do this ‘job,’” Villar said. “I don’t know if that was just a ruse or what but he called me chairman.”

He said he was ordered to drive around for several minutes before he was let off inside the same subdivision.

Villar said it would be easy for the carjacker to escape since the subdivision has many exits.

Villar left his barong Tagalog and clutch bag that contained some cash inside the car.

He said he was supposed to pay all his credit card bills that day.

After he alighted from the vehicle, he immediately went to his house at the same subdivision and called the Parañaque City police and the headquarters of the Philippine National Police in Quezon City.

Villar tendered his resignation last month, which takes effect when President Aquino appoints his successor.

He said the carjacker kept warning him not to look at his face.

While inside the car, he allegedly told Villar “may nagpapatrabaho lang (it’s just a job)” and assured him that he would not be killed.

After reaching Elizalde Street, about 150 meters away from President’s Avenue, the man told Villar to alight from the vehicle and then sped away.

“He told me that his companions were just there but when I looked there’s nobody around,” Villar said.

Parañaque City police chief Senior Superintendent Nestor Pastoral said a flash alarm has been issued and police are now conducting a follow-up.

He added that the police had difficulty catching the carjacker because the incident was reported to them an hour after the incident.

Villar said he felt very nervous although he did not show that to the robber.

“What if he kills me or he accidentally pulls the trigger?” said Villar when asked what was on his mind at the time.

Villar said he was “very thankful” that he did not get hurt.

“I would have to be extra careful next time,” he said. - With Aie Balagtas See